Is Working Through Lunch Really a Career Strategy?

The following is a guest blog from Marsha Egan…

I can’t tell you how many coaching conversations I’ve had with super-achievers who think that working through their lunches and eating at their desks routinely is the way to get ahead. I challenge them to think again.

While getting the work done is critical to one’s success, building relationships that will enable that success are just as (and maybe more) important.

Unless you work totally alone or live alone on a desert island, you can’t deny that your relationships are an important part of your business or career success. The old “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know…” still holds some merit. Few people truly get ahead without support, encouragement, endorsement, or mentoring by others.

I liken it to the two rails on a railroad track—the train needs both of them to move forward. In careers, the same is true with your professional duties and with the people side of career advancement. Both need to be developed congruently. Many times energetic and motivated career types fail to recognize this until it’s too late. They focus entirely on the task, believing that being able to deliver results is the only variable that matters in their success.

This reminds me of Carrie, a female middle manager and super achiever whom I coached. She was flabbergasted when she was passed over for a promotion she expected and she believed she truly deserved. She worked 12 hour days in the office, worked through every lunch, and always took work home with her. She never missed a deadline and everyone knew that if you gave an assignment to Carrie, it would be done exceptionally every time and ahead of the deadline. Her reviews were stellar.

The person who was selected for the position was similar in age, stature, and appearance to Carrie. Her reviews were not as stellar as Carrie’s, but they were still outstanding. The difference was that she had a balanced life, she delegated well, and she spent significant time cultivating relationships inside and outside the department. She used her lunches as opportunities to mix with folks from various internal and external departments, vendors, and customers. She was known for being able to get things done through people, cut through the red tape, all the while being approachable and cooperative.

There has been a lot of banter about whether “going to lunch” with people is a career booster strategy. While we use the example of going to lunch, what we are really talking about is finding ways to build relationships. Just remember, that train needs both rails – the “people rail” and the “task rail.” Some people cultivate the “people rail” on the golf course, others while volunteering with trade associations, and others do it at breakfast or lunch. Do whatever works for you. I personally like lunch. Now, the question is where and with whom. Lunch, anyone?

Marsha Egan, CPCU, PCC, is CEO of The Egan Group, Inc., a Reading, Pennsylvania based professional coaching firm. Visit www.marshaegan.com to learn more. She can be reached at marsha@marshaegan.com.